Academic Guide PHS

Presentation High School

One School | Many Opportunities

Extraordinary Outcomes Presentation High School | 408-264-1664 | 2281 Plummer Ave., San Jose | www.presentationhs.org

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Our Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01 The Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02 The Block Schedule . . . . . . . . . . 04

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Welcome to Presentation

Computer Technology . . . . . . . . . 06 English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08 Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Modern Language . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Physical Education . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Religious Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Social Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Visual and Performing Arts . . . . . . 22

Campus Life Clubs and Organizations . . . . . . . . 25 Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Campus Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Community Involvement . . . . . . . 30 Math and Science Academy . . . . . . 32 Leadership Academy . . . . . . . . . . 34 Speech and Debate . . . . . . . . . . . 35

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Student Services Personal Counseling . . . . . . . . . . 37 College Counseling . . . . . . . . . . 38 College Acceptances . . . . . . . . . . 39 Additional Services . . . . . . . . . . . 40

For 50 years, Presentation High School has been dedicated to the education of the whole person, with high academic standards, a focus on spiritual development, and many sports, clubs and other social activities. This balanced approach helps young women become critical thinkers and leaders who are prepared for college and a career. Presentation is a nurturing community in which personalized attention from teachers and counselors helps students reach their full potential, and in four short years, they become articulate, welleducated, productive members of the community.

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Top 50% PHS Students Top 5% PHS Students

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IN THE FIELD

ON CAMERA

What do starfish, sea otters, turtles, and other sea life have to do with technology? Just ask Riley, a Presentation senior who spends every summer (and sometimes weekends) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium showing teachers how to incorporate new technology into their science curriculum.

This ranges from informing them of cool interactive websites to teaching them how to set up an interactive white board with a Wii remote and a pen with an infrared light on the tip.

Students who have taken Digital Video Production often go on to join the after-school Broadcast Journalism program. Broadcast Journalism students produce the Monday morning school news, The Panther Report, every week during the school year.

They also take field trips to local news stations and listen to talks from media professionals.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE Presentation students have the opportunity to share their skills with others. Each year students help the Sisters of the Presentation stay up to date with the latest technologies, including a recent social networking workshop at which the Sisters learned how to use Facebook, Twitter, Skype and more.

HANDS-ON CURRICULUM Imagine investing $10 to $20 into the PHS Credit Union for the Women and Money class. Students learn the true value of compound interest vs. simple interest. The PHS Credit Union uses compound interest which allows the students to see the money grow rapidly. At the end of the course the students receive their principal plus the interest earned. This is a great experience for students to understand finance.

FACULTY Deila Caballero B.A. Television, Radio, Film & Theater, San Jose State University Sharon Goldau B.A. Computer Science, UC Berkeley

Pauline Newton B.A. Business, San Jose State University M.B.A. San Jose State University Adrienne Renner B.S. Business Education, Boston University M.A. Business Education, San Jose State University

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COURSES

Students are required to take a minimum of 2 semesters of Visual and Performing Arts.

Acting I & II Advanced Art I & II Appreciation I – Music Appreciation II – Film Ceramics I & II Choral I & II Dance I, II & III Competitive Dance I and II Design I & II Drawing and Painting I & II Graphic Publications I, II & III Instrumental Music I & II Jazz Band I, II, III & IV Bella Voce: PHS Women’s Choir Photography I & II Piano Keyboard I & II The Visual and Performing Arts Department encourages creativity and the exploration of a young woman’s individual talent, whether she chooses to sing, move, act, dance, design, draw, paint, play an instrument or learn about film. It’s always memorable when tears stream down a student’s face during her first viewing of Casablanca’s final scene. Ceramics students retain immense pride after throwing a two-inch pot. In Drawing and Painting, a girl never

forgets what it means when they hear the phrase: “Learn how to see.” Meanwhile, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” never sounds better than when a student plays it herself on a keyboard while discovering the difference between a half note and a whole note.

These classes provide hands-on opportunities for students to let their imaginations and talents spill out onto canvas or into clay or atop a musical stage.

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APPRECIATING THE ARTS Music Appreciation encourages careful listening to classical and contemporary works, such as Vivaldi’s La Primavera, excerpts from The Phantom of the Opera, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Motown’s My Girl. And students in Film Appreciation will analyze movies from a variety of genres and eras – motion pictures such as The Godfather and Casablanca are considered from the viewpoints of technological film making, well-written scripts, values imparted to an audience, historical perspectives, and artistic direction.

ON STAGE

Acting students study, rehearse and perform monologues, building confidence on stage whether performing alone or with others. They also learn to use props, set pieces, and costumes to enhance their performance.

MUSIC BASICS

HAPPY FEET New dancers can learn the basics of Jazz, Ballet, Modern and Hip Hop, and they will be able to perform leaps, chaines, pirouettes and basic combinations in a performance at the end of each semester in front of an audience. Students who have never danced before will have fun learning on stage while gaining confidence and love for the art of dance. Experienced dancers will be challenged to choreograph and perform routines created by fellow students in concerts at the end of the semester.

Even if a student has had never played an instrument or can’t read music, we have something to offer them.

Piano Keyboarding, Instrumental Music and Choir all provide introductory courses that begin with the basics.

FACULTY Emilie Bertram B.A. Music, Concordia University M.A. Music, Ithaca College Conservatory of Music

Cynthia Ford-Pustelnik B.F.A. Spatial Arts, San Jose State University M.F.A. Spatial Arts, San Jose State University

Annalora Calin B.A. Theatre and Religious Studies, Santa Clara University M.A. Pastoral Ministry and Spirituality, Santa Clara University

Barb Purdy B.S. Art Education, Miami University

Sara Cuddie B.A. Dance, San Jose State University

Joe Reichert B.A. Music Education, New Jersey City University M.A. Percussion Performance, San Jose State University

Marcy Ray B.A. English, Scripps College M.A. Education, Stanford University M.A. Administration, Santa Clara University

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Presentation is proud of its vibrant and thriving campus, where it seems something special is going on every single day of the year. We have a rich tradition of co-curricular activities, including more than 20 clubs and organizations devoted to performing arts, student government, community service, film and media, cooking, politics, and much, much more.

At Presentation, there is something for everyone!

Amnesty International Associated Student Body/Student Council California Scholarship Federation Campus Ministry Community Involvement DECA Cooking Club Fashion Club Film and Media Club Healthy Habits Club Improv Team International Cultures Club International Thespian Society

Liturgical Band Math Competition Group Microfinance Club Mu Alpha Theta National Art Honor Society Presentation Ambassadors Club Panther Pride Presentation Organization for Women Robotics Team Students Against Destructive Decisions Student Environmental Action Society Students for Political Action Speech and Debate

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Presentation High School is proud of the fact that nearly half the student body participates in our athletics program, which teaches teamwork, sportsmanship and a dedication to excellence. Our program has a rich and accomplished history and has produced both collegiate stars and Olympians. The Panthers are members of the prestigious West Catholic Athletic League and the Central Coast Section, and Presentation has collected numerous championships at both levels.

In addition to highly experienced, talented and dedicated coaches, Presentation offers its athletes top-notch facilities. Field hockey, soccer and softball teams play on a top-quality all-weather synthetic turf, and our aquatics center is home to our water polo teams as well as a swimming and diving team that is one of the largest single-gender teams in the nation. Our cross country team enjoys training on our beautiful local trails, and our golfers practice at nearby scenic courses.

Presentation employs a full-time certified athletic trainer whose training room includes treatment tables, whirlpools and training benches, and it is used for

injury treatment as well as preventative measures. We also have a modern weight room that includes cardio stations, kettle bells, free weights and machines to work specific muscle groups.

Our mission is to provide students with a positive experience as they represent Presentation High School in interscholastic sports. While we strive to maintain a competitive program, we also ensure that student-athletes have fun and develop their skills.

Each year Presentation graduates a slate of athletes who play their sport at the collegiate level, and we currently have alumnae playing for Stanford, San Diego State, UC Santa Barbara, San Jose State, Fresno State, UC Davis, Duke, Princeton, Arizona State and Villanova. In the past two years our program has produced 10 collegiate volleyball players, 5 softball players, 3 soccer players, and athletes in water polo, track and field, rowing, cross country, diving, golf and basketball.

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Fall Cross Country* Field Hockey Golf Tennis Volleyball Water Polo Winter Basketball Soccer Spring Softball Swimming and Diving* Track and Field* *no-cut programs

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Presentation High School’s Campus Ministry Department seeks to deepen the experience of God in the everyday lives of its faculty, staff and students. We do this in both communal and individual expressions through weekly morning prayer, Masses and prayer services, the Peer Ministry program and retreats.

The Peer Ministry Program includes the participation of approximately 70 sophomore, junior, and senior students of all faith traditions.

These students are invited to develop and share their unique gifts and faith interests through prayer, small-group sharing and other forms of ministry. The small faith-sharing groups, called “Angel Groups,� are led

by Core Team members, who are students chosen by Campus Ministers as leaders within the program. Peer Ministers are trained to participate in Campus Ministry events as retreat and prayer leaders, lectors, alterservers and Eucharistic and music ministers.

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RETREATS Freshmen Retreat is part of Freshmen Orientation, and in this daylong program students are introduced to the Presentation community and their new classmates. They also hear talks from Peer Ministers to help them transition into high school, and they reflect on their life’s faith experiences.

Sophomore Retreat is a day away from school during which students get to know each other better, reflect on the women they are becoming and seek reconciliation with themselves, others and God. Junior Retreat is a two-day overnight retreat where

students are invited to foster a better awareness of how the spirit guides them in their everyday lives.

They experience a variety of prayer forms and other activities that encourage them to interact with their classmates and explore their values and commitments.

Senior Retreat is a two-day overnight retreat during which students learn how to discern God’s voice and movements in their lives and become aware of where God is inviting them in the future. Faculty members share their own life experiences around these ideas and the wisdom they have developed, and students participate in various prayers and activities that encourage class bonding.

MASSES AND PRAYER SERVICES Every month we celebrate Catholic Mass together as a community. There we are reminded that God is ever-present and available to us. We gather in song, word, and thanksgiving to share our joys and sorrows with God and each other. Students plan and participate in liturgical activities such as lectoring, altar-serving and Eucharistic and music ministries. They also plan and participate in prayer services, which include Advent Wreath Blessing, Christmas, Reconciliation, Healing and May Day.

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“Not Words, But Deeds” isn’t just a motto at Presentation High School. It is a heartfelt goal, a mission that is lived out every day and ingrained into our culture. Our students actively engage in local and global communities through service commitments, fundraisers, advocacy projects and immersion trips. Although service is not required at Presentation, we find that a majority of our students perform regular volunteer work.

Students know that when they stand with those in our community who are most vulnerable, they not only contribute to the common good, but they learn a great deal about themselves.

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IMMERSION TRIPS Part of Community Involvement’s philosophy is that through service-learning experiences students will gain a better understanding of some of the more complicated issues that exist today.

While they will be intellectually stimulated, our hope is that their hearts will be touched by the people they meet and they will gain a deeper sense of solidarity with those who may at first appear vastly different. Trips include a weeklong immersion in East Los Angeles, a rural plunge to California’s Central Valley, and urban plunges to San Francisco and San Jose. Every year we take one larger trip during the summer. In the past we have traveled to Zambia, New Orleans, Appalachia and Nicaragua. On each trip we connect with the Presentation Sisters and volunteer at their ministries as well as serve throughout the community.

DRIVES Community Involvement conducts four annual drives to benefit those living in poverty. Our goal with these drives is to build closer relationships with our neighbors and to create an inherent desire among our students to end the injustice of poverty. During the fall semester we participate in a variety of drives for Sacred Heart Community Service. Prior to Thanksgiving we collect thousands of cans and hundreds of turkeys during our food drive. We also collect toys and gifts for local youth at Christmas time. In the spring during our Mission Drive, we raise funds for the Sisters of the Presentation serving in Nicaragua and Guatemala.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT CLUB Although the entire school is encouraged to participate in service, we have a club designated for students who are truly passionate about volunteering and want to be more involved. Members of this club meet monthly to reflect on their service experiences and help run our drives and schoolwide events. Community Involvement offers several educational programs, like the Oxfam Hunger Banquet and a poverty simulation.

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The Math and Science Academy offers a robust menu of programs to advance STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – at Presentation High School. It is for students who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to math and science as shown by their involvement in related school activities, including Mu Alpha Theta, Robotics and the Independent Research Study Course. There are many ways to participate in the academy.

MATH AND SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM Throughout the school year, scholars and experts in the fields of mathematics and science are brought to campus for evening presentations that are open to the student body, faculty and staff, and the general public. Recent topics have included Bioengineering, Wildlife Biology, Savior Siblings and Genetic Diagnosis, Life in Space, and Science Writing.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH STUDY COURSE This yearlong course, which meets on a monthly basis, allows students to be involved in mathematics, science and engineering research at a level beyond the normal curriculum. The class covers the basics of scientific research with the ultimate goal of a student-developed project and associated research paper being submitted to the Synopsis Silicon Valley Engineering Fair, which is a gateway to upper-level science fairs, including the California State Science Fair and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

COSMOS The California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science is a monthlong University of California summer program that offers high school students the opportunity to work side by side with leading university researchers and faculty members. The Math and Science Academy seeks out potential applicants and guides students through the application process.

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MU ALPHA THETA This is an international high school and two-year college mathematics honor society co-sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Mathematical Association of America.

ROBOTICS TEAM The Presentation Robotics Team introduces young women to STEM fields and inspires interest in these careers. Each year, young women from every class level work together to build a robot and compete in the US FIRST Robotics Competition. The team has six weeks from the kick-off date in January to design, build, and test a robot to play in the various competitions around the area. The team is funded primarily by the school, but also has found sponsorships from various local companies such as Google, DP Products, and Xtreme Engineering.

A far cry from being just a bunch of eggheads sitting around with calculators and triangles, team members pick up experience in areas such as business operations, programming, website design, engineering, fundraising/finance, computer-aided drafting, public relations, and machining. While students work with engineers/parent mentors, the program is student-driven and it is the students’ ideas that drive the design and operation of the robot.

Presentation’s Robotics Team travels for some competitions – last year at UC Davis Presentation won 6th place overall out of more than 30 teams – and competes locally at the Silicon Valley Regional at San Jose State University.

The team has strong ties to the community, and in an effort to develop robotics programs at lower levels it is currently mentoring a FIRST Lego League team at St. Joseph’s of Cupertino. The girls have proudly presented their work to organizations such as the American Association of University Women and Kiwanis International, and they have also attended school volleyball and basketball games to showcase “BB,” their robotic T-shirt cannon.

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Presentation’s Leadership Academy prepares students for leadership positions at school and in the community. The workshops, designed and presented by Presentation faculty and staff, address five core components of leadership: Communication; Ethics and Integrity; Team Building; Vision, Mission and Goal-Setting and Project Management.

In addition to workshops, students assume leadership positions on campus and take advantages of opportunities for project design and implementation.

CAPSTONE PROJECTS

The ultimate Leadership Academy achievement lies in completing a Capstone Project, in which a student plans, organizes and implements a major project on campus or in the community that draws upon all the skills she learned in the academy. Supported by an advisor throughout the planning of the project, the student learns the practical aspects of leadership in addition to problem-solving.

Here are a few examples of projects organized and implemented entirely by students: THE RUN FOR NUNS Two juniors created a fundraiser for Presentation’s annual Mission Drive in which more than 50 students bought “I Run for Nuns” T-shirts and ran laps around the soccer field. In total, the students raised over $1,000 for Presentation Sisters in Nicaragua and Guatemala.

60 MINUTES TO SAVE THE WORLD Two seniors hosted an afternoon of awareness using information they learned from school trips to Washington, D.C. They recruited impassioned students to lead four workshops on human trafficking, consumerism, immigration and the death penalty. Over 60 students attended the workshops and learned tools to advocate for change.

SACRED HEART CHARITY BALL A senior and seven other Community Involvement officers managed the school’s annual Charity Ball. The senior divided the team into four subcommittees, which coordinated everything from entertainment to the theme and decorations. The dance was a huge hit, and the students raised more than $18,000 for Sacred Heart Community Service.

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The Speech and Debate team is an after-school program designed to build communication skills.

There’s something for everyone who is interested in acting, arguing, reading, researching, writing or just meeting people. Presentation competes in the Coast Forensic League – the most competitive district in the state – as well as the California Coast National Forensic League, the second-most competitive district in the nation. Students in Speech and Debate also become members of the National Forensic League, one of the most prestigious academic organizations a high school student can join. Club members are eligible for local, state and national competitions.

COMPETITIVE HIGHLIGHTS For the past three years the team has taken 3rd place

in the Coast Forensic League, which includes every public and private school from Watsonville to South San Francisco.

Presentation has been recognized as being in the top 1 percent of all National Forensic League chapters in the nation, earning a place in the League’s prestigious Societe de 300. The National Forensic League, founded in 1925, is one of the oldest and largest high school honor societies in the nation with more than 1.4 million lifetime members.

At the UC Berkeley Invitational, the largest high school Speech and Debate tournament in the nation, Presentation placed 2nd among all schools for debate. The tournament featured competition from hundreds of high schools spanning over 30 states.

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Presentation High School is proud of its Counseling Department, whose comprehensive services help a student develop her critical, ethical and rational thinking skills regarding choices she faces both at school and in her personal life. She will learn to effectively use study skills and will possess the ability to seek and access additional resources in pursuit of success in college and the workplace.

In additional to counseling programs and services, each student has two professional faculty members assigned specifically to help her navigate high school and the transition to college: CLASS-LEVEL COUNSELOR Class-level counselors, who have a Master’s degree-level training, remain with a class level for four years in order to facilitate strong long-term counseling relationships with individual students.

Counselors initiate appointments with each student at least once per semester and are available as needed for student-initiated appointments.

Presentation’s focus is school counseling, and appointments center around academics and areas of a student’s life that may impact school. Counselors maintain contact with parents when appropriate and are available to mentors and other faculty members who have concerns about individual students. Support groups are also available.

Freshmen attend a counseling information session during Freshman Orientation as well as a counseling component in the fall that covers technology use, learning styles and maintaining balance in their lives. Parents of freshman attend an evening event geared toward understand the structure of counseling services, teens and technology use and other pertinent topics.

MENTOR Mentors are part of an academic advising program, and each student is assigned to one mentor – a faculty member – for all four years of high school. Mentoring groups, which are comprised of approximately 32 students and divided by class levels, meet with the mentor two or three times each week using a formal curriculum. Each student also has an individual appointment with her mentor once per semester. The mentor’s role is to implement the curriculum while developing a helping relationship with each mentee in the area of academic monitoring and advising.

FACULTY Nancy Taylor B.A. History/Political Science, St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame M.S.W. Master of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago Certificate, Catholic School Leadership, Santa Clara University M.A. Educational Administration, Santa Clara University Licensed Social Worker Susan Mikacich B.A. Psychology, University of San Diego M.A. Counseling, Santa Clara University Pupil Personnel Services Credential, Santa Clara University Certificate in Catholic School Leadership,

Santa Clara University

Peggy Schrader B.A. Sociology, UC Santa Cruz M.A. Counseling Psychology, National University Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Rosemarie Healy B.A. Psychology, UC Davis M.A. Clinical Psychology, Pepperdine University Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Mary Connolly B.A. Administrative Science, Colby College Certificate in College Counseling, UCLA

MaryLynne Rodriguez B.A. Psychology, San Jose State University M.A. Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University Jocelyn Penner B.S. Psychology, Santa Clara University M.A. Counseling, Santa Clara University Jean Meyer B.A. English, Iowa State University Certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning

UC Berkeley

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The College Counseling Department helps students embark on a thoughtful and well-researched college search within the framework of their academic interests and strengths. The collegeadmissions process is integrated into the fabric of a Presentation education through our college-prep curriculum, and every student is encouraged to take a challenging course of study to prepare for college and beyond.

Beginning in freshman year, general college information is disseminated through mentoring activities. College counselors begin individual meetings with each student in the fall of junior year. As seniors, students are provided with college information in individual appointments as well as class and workshop settings. These include: College Counseling Collaborations with junior and senior mentor groups, Workshop Wednesday (application workshop) and the College Essay Writing workshop.

The College Counseling Department plans and hosts information evenings throughout the school year for both students and parents, including: • • • • • • • •

Sophomore College Information Night Testing Night for Juniors and Parents College Information Night for Juniors Financial Aid Information Night for Senior Parents Senior Parents College Information Night College Panel Discussion Night for Juniors College Athletics/NCAA Eligibility Information Night Financial Aid Information Night for Junior Parents

Each year Presentation hosts visits from representatives from over 90 colleges and universities.

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COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES FOR 2011 AND 2012 Academy of Art American Jewish University American Musical & Dramatic Academy American University Arizona State University Azusa Pacific University Boise State University Boston College Boston Conservatory of the Arts Boston University Bryant University Cal Poly, Pomona Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo California Lutheran University Canisius College Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Castleton State College Catholic University of America Champlain College Chapman University Chicago State University Clark University Clemson University Colby College Colby-Sawyer College Colgate University College of St. Benedict Colorado College Colorado State University Columbia University Concordia University Connecticut College Cornell University Creighton University CSU, Channel Islands CSU, Chico CSU, Dominguez Hills CSU, East Bay CSU, Fresno CSU, Fullerton CSU, Humboldt CSU, Long Beach CSU, Los Angeles CSU, Monterey Bay CSU, Northridge CSU, Sacramento CSU, San Bernardino CSU, San Diego CSU, San Francisco

CSU, San Jose CSU, San Marcos CSU, Sonoma CSU, Stanislaus Curry College Dartmouth College DePaul University Dominican University Drexel University Duke University Eastern Washington University Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Emerson College Emmanuel College Emory University Fairfield University Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Florida Institute of Technology Fordham University Franciscan University of Steubenville Franklin College of Switzerland George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Georgian Court University Gonzaga University Hampshire College Harvard College Hawaii Pacific University Hillsdale College Hofstra University Howard University Indiana University Iona College James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Juniata College Lasell College Lewis and Clark College Linfield College London Metropolitan University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University, Chicago Loyola University, Maryland Loyola University, New Orleans Marist College Marlboro College Marquette University Marymount College Marymount Manhattan College

Marymount University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Menlo College Mercy College Merrimack College Miami University of Ohio Michigan State University Mills College Mississippi State University Monmouth University Montana State University Mount St. Mary’s College Musicians Institute New Mexico State University New York University North Dakota State University Northeastern University Northern Arizona University Northwestern University Norwich University Notre Dame de Namur University Occidental College Oregon State University Pacific Lutheran University Pacific Union College Pacific University Pennsylvania State University Pepperdine University Pitzer College Point Loma Nazarene University Point Park University Polytechnic Institute of New York Portland State University Pratt Institute Princeton University Providence College Purdue University Regis College Regis University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rice University Rochester Institute of Technology Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Saint Mary’s College, Indiana Saint Michael’s College Santa Clara University Savannah College of Art & Design Scripps College Seattle Pacific University Seattle University Seton Hall University

Skidmore College Southern Methodist University Southern Oregon University St. Bonaventure University St. Edward’s University St. John’s University, Queens St. Joseph’s University St. Louis University St. Mary’s College of California Stanford University Stony Brook University Suffolk University SUNY Morrisville State College Syracuse University Tennessee State University Texas A&M University Texas Christian University The Art Institute, San Francisco Trevecca Nazarene University Trinity University Tufts University Tulane University UC Berkeley UC Davis UC Irvine UC Los Angeles UC Merced UC Riverside UC San Diego UC Santa Barbara UC Santa Cruz Union College University Missouri University of Alabama University of Alaska, Southeast University of Arizona University of British Columbia University of Chicago University of Cincinnati University of Colorado, Boulder University of Connecticut University of Delaware University of Denver University of Hartford University of Hawaii University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign University of Iowa University of Kentucky University of La Verne University of Maine University of Massachusetts

University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota University of Mississippi University of Montana University of Nevada, Reno University of New England University of New Hampshire University of New Mexico University of Notre Dame University of Oklahoma University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Portland University of Puget Sound University of Redlands University of Rochester University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of Surrey University of Tampa University of Tennessee University of the Pacific University of Utah University of Washington University of Wisconsin University of Wyoming Ursinus College Villanova University Virginia Commonwealth University Washington State University Washington University in St. Louis West Virginia University Western Oregon University Western Washington University Westminister College Westmont College Wheaton College Whitman College Whittier College Widener University Willamette University Williams College Wright State University Xavier University

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ACADEMIC SUPPORT There are many supports in place within the Counseling Department to ensure that students will attain academic success.

The Study Center is a resource center for students who need additional academic support and structure. Typically students are assigned to the Study Center during their free period by the Academic Dean. Students receive academic support, monitoring, and encouragement by the Academic Support Director.

The Step-Up Program takes place in the Study Center after school from 3-5 p.m., Monday-Thursday, and Friday by appointment. The Step-Up Program is designed to provide additional support for students who struggle academically.

CAREER EXPLORATION OFFICE The CEO is a career guidance program that focuses on two main objectives: Infuse learning at Presentation with “real-world” experiences through guest speakers, career days, job shadowing and internships with local companies.

Assist students in identifying potential careers, college majors and college choices by providing detailed career information before a student must choose a college or major.

The CEO offers students a “Career Series” consisting of six to ten workshops beginning late freshman year through senior year. The series begins with a career-planning overview for freshmen and concludes with a personal college and career plan for seniors. Individual appointments may also be scheduled to help students to develop resumes, learn interviewing skills and prepare a detailed individual plan for their future.

The Peer Tutoring program available to all students and is the responsibility of the Academic Support Director. Students may arrange to either be a tutor or receive tutoring services.

The Learning Specialist works with students who have documented learning differences.

The Learning Specialist facilitates communication among students, parents, and teachers; works with those who may need an educational assessment; assists students in adapting strategies to improve academic performance; and facilitates reasonable accommodations that will allow the student to do her best work.

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What do our graduates say?

“Pres challenged me to prioritize my time because of the demanding academic curriculum and my sport.

Since being at Stanford, I've done a good job at balancing academics, golf, and my social life. This attribute, which I started to develop at Pres, will enable me to succeed in the future.”

“I could not have asked for a better high school experience to prepare me for UC Berkeley.

My teachers and peers at Pres challenged me to think critically, articulate my thoughts clearly in classes, and constantly improve my writing skills. I use the same process I learned at Pres to write research papers as an English major!

Presentation expects strong academic work, but it also emphasizes the education of the whole person. I was always asked to give back to the community and think about how my actions could impact others in a positive way. The leadership and communication skills I practiced through ASB, Speech and Debate, and The Voice newspaper have proved invaluable in the workplace, whether I am interviewing a source or pitching a story idea to my editor. The hard work and initiative Presentation teachers expect of their students definitely carries over to college and the real world. I am currently interning in the technology section at the Chronicle of Higher Education in Washington, D.C., and I look forward to beginning a career as a communications analyst for Amazon this summer after college graduation.”

MARIKO TUMANGAN Class of 2010 Stanford University

“Pres was instrumental in shaping my intellectual curiosity and desire to help others, which are key elements that drive my career as a journalist. I felt very prepared for college and grad school because of the well-rounded values instilled in me at Pres: integrity, confidence and compassion. Spending four years in such a nurturing community made all the difference.”

MONICA ALBA

Class of 2005 University of Southern California